Tea

The Camellia sinensis plant is a small shrub about 1-2 meters in height, though it will grow taller if you don't prune it. In the fall, your tea shrub will flower with small white blossoms that have a delightful scent. These plants are often grown as ornamentals. For planting, Camellia sinensis likes well-drained and sandy soil that is on the acidic side. If you are going to grow your tea in a container, add some sphagnum moss to the potting mix. You'll need some patience, too. Your plant should be around 3 years old before you start harvesting leaves. You might be able to get seeds at your local nursary, or try online at Seedrack.com. Growing tea is only half the battle. Once your tea plant is growing well, you'll need to harvest and process your tea leaves. From your plant, you can make black, green or oolong tea. Green Tea
Pluck the very youngest leaves and leaf buds.
Blot the leaves dry, and let dry in the shade for a few hours.
Steam the leaves (like you would vegetables) on your stove for about a minute.
For a different flavour, try roasting them in a skillet for 2 minutes instead of steaming.
Spread the leaves on a baking sheet and dry in the oven at 250F for 20 minutes.
Store the dried tea leaves in an air-tight containerOolong Tea
Pluck the very youngest leaves and leaf buds.
Spread them out on a towel under the sun and let them wilt for about 45 minutes.
Bring your leaves inside and let them sit at room temperature for a few hours.
Make sure to stir the leaves up every hour.
The edges of the leaves will start to turn red as they begin to dry.
Spread the leaves on a baking sheet and dry in the oven at 250F for 20 minutes.
Store the dried tea leaves in an air-tight container.Black Tea
Pluck the very youngest leaves and leaf buds.
Roll the leaves between your hands, and crush them until the leaves start to darken and turn red.
Spread them out on a tray, and leave them in a cool location for 2-3 days.
Dry them in the oven at 250F for about 20 minutes.
Store in an air-tight container.Once you get the hang of it, try experimenting with different drying times to get different tastes. Mix your teas with jasmine or hibiscus flowers for a lovely summer tea right from your garden.

sourced from:

coffeetea.about.com/od/preparation/a/growingtea.htm

Comfrey

Medicinal use of comfrey
Comfrey has long been known in Britain as a medicinal herb, its common name was ‘knitbone’. Supposed to assist in healing broken bones and skin complaints, many still use products from it for those purposes.
In the nineteenth century a Quaker smallholder, Henry Doubleday, became intrigued by the possibilities of Russian Comfrey as a useful crop. Leap forward to 1954 and Lawrence D Hills took up the cause. Almost as a side effect he started what has become Europe’s largest organic gardening association, the HDRA.
Comfrey contains high levels of the basic NPK nutrients, drawn up from the deep by its extensive root system. As such it can be useful as animal feed and as plant feed. The plant re-grows from small root cuttings and, as a weed, is very difficult to eradicate.
On the HDRA trial ground at Bocking in Essex, L D Hills developed the most valuable variety, Bocking 14. High in nutrients and sterile (you don’t want comfrey popping up all over the place) Bocking 14 is exclusively propagated from root cuttings.

Allotment Uses of Comfrey
If you are able to keep chickens on your allotment you can feed wilted comfrey to them.
As a compost activator - comfrey is so rich that it not only enriches your heaps but encourages them to heat up.
The first cut of the year, in spring, should go in to the furrow before the potatoes. The liquid feed will also be good for potatoes as will chopped wilted leaves as a mulch - before the foliage gets too dense to effectively spread it.
As a mulch and as a liquid feed for tomatoes, runner and dwarf beans.
Mix with leafmould to make a base for potting compost.
Comfrey Roots
Cultivation of Comfrey
Location and Preparation of your Comfrey Bed
Comfrey is a pretty tough plant that will grow from small pieces of root so do choose your location with care. It is easier to kill most weeds than comfrey. If you do need to move a comfrey bed the old bed will need to be killed off. Your best bet will be to use a weedkiller like ammonium sulphamate .
Comfrey will thrive in full sun or in partial to near full shade - there is usually a disused corner that will make a great site for your comfrey bed. It doesn't like thin, chalky soils and the roots go down a fair way so dig deeply and break up the subsoil to get it off to a good start. Light sandy soils will benefit from organic matter. Being a fleshy plant it will need a lot of water and a soggy patch will be a plus.
Turn the soil over and remove any perennial weed roots. Comfrey grows very densely and will be difficult to weed. It does tend to shade out most weeds once established. If you have any manure - even poultry manure - fork this into the top 6 inches of the soil. Comfrey is great for soaking up nutrients and, unlike most plants, will not burn with raw manure.
Obtaining Comfrey , Planting and the growing for the first year.
You can obtain plants from The Organic Gardening Catalogue for most of the year but, if you can, plant in March, April, May or September for best results. I start the plants off in pots - just to get them off to a good start - and then plant out. You can plant directly but I like to ensure success, especially as they can cost over a pound each!
Block plant around 2 to 3 feet apart and stand back. You will be surprised how quickly they grow. When the flowers appear take a cut. I use a pair of shears and cut about 6 inches from the ground. Comfrey has little hairs on the leaves, which can irritate. Not quite a cactus but near, so wear gloves.
Come winter the plants go dormant and a good layer of manure can be applied.
Harvesting and Propagating Comfrey
In the second year your comfrey patch starts to really pay off. In the spring it will leap back from its winter sleep. Your first cut will get the spuds off to a good start. After that you should get at least a further 3 cuts - even 4.
To get further plants, push your spade through the middle of a plant and lever up a portion. Take root cuttings (about 2 inches long) and away you go again. Be careful as the bits left over will happily root wherever they fall.
Making Comfrey Liquid Compost or Comfrey Tea
Comfrey can be made into a wonderful liquid feed – it is quite simple. Take a barrel or tub, add comfrey leaves, fill with water and leave for 3 to 5 weeks. Warning! It will smell like an open sewer when finished. The liquid can be used as a tomato feed. I tried this with a tub with a tap but it was always getting blocked, but if you put the leaves into an old potato sack it solves this problem.

sourced from:

http://www.allotment.org.uk/vegetable/comfrey/index.php#comfrey1

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Elder

PlantingElderberries grow best in moist, fertile, well-drained soil with a pH between 5.5 and 6.5, but will tolerate a wide range of soil texture, fertility, and acidity. It’s a myth that they prefer swampy areas. In fact, they do not tolerate poor drainage. Plant elderberries in spring, as soon as possible after they arrive from the nursery to prevent plants from drying out. Space plants 6 to 10 feet apart. Elderberries are shallow rooted, so keep them well-watered during the first season. Plants are easy to propagate from hardwood cuttings taken when plants are dormant.
FertilizingElderberries respond well to fertilization. In addition to incorporating manure or compost before planting, apply additional fertilizer annually in early spring. Apply 1/8 pound of ammonium nitrate (or .5 lbs. 10-10-10) for each year of the plant’s age, up to one pound per plant (or up to 4 lbs. 10-10-10).
Weed ControlThe most difficult problem faced when growing elderberries is weed control. Because they have shallow roots, do not cultivate deeper than 2 inches. After the first year, it is best to avoid disturbing the soil at all because the slightest injury can damage the fibrous root system or kill one of the new upright shoots. Use a combination of pulling weeds by hand while they are still small, mowing and mulching to control weeds without disturbing the elderberry roots. Once you develop a thick hedgerow of plants, elderberries can suppress weeds quite well.
HarvestHarvest elderberry fruit in late August through early September, depending on the cultivar. When ripe, the entire cluster should be -removed and the berries stripped from the cluster for use. Uncooked berries have a dark purple juice and are astringent and inedible. Use the fruit as soon as possible or keep it at a cool temperature for later use. It is difficult to transport elderberries because the fruits fall off the cluster during transit.
PruningElderberries send up many new canes each year. The canes usually reach full height in one season and develop lateral branches in the second. Flowers and fruit develop on the tips of the current season’s growth, often on the new canes but especially on laterals. Second-year elderberry canes with good lateral development are the most fruitful. In the third or fourth year, older wood tends to lose vigor and become weak. In late winter to early spring while the plants are dormant, remove all dead, broken or weak canes, plus all canes more than three years old. Leave an equal number of one, two, and three-year-old canes.
Choosing cultivarsIndividual flowers are small, white, and borne in large compound clusters. They are nearly self-unfruitful, so plant two different cultivars within 60 feet of each other to provide adequate cross-pollination. ‘Adams No. 1′ and ‘Adams No. 2′ are two old cultivars, introduced by the New York State Agricultural Experiment Station in 1926. They are strong, vigorous, productive, hardy to Zone 4 and bear large fruit clusters. They also ripen late, with fruit maturing in early September. Other cultivars with large clusters and berries include ‘York’,’ Johns’,’ Kent’,'Nova’, and ‘Scotia’. ‘York’ is somewhat more productive than the Adams series, and the berries tend to be larger.Diseases and InsectsElderberry plants are generally free of pests, which makes them great for landscape plantings. Powdery mildew is a problem in some years, especially when it affects the fruit. Cane borers occasionally cause damage, but are usually not present in large numbers. Pruning out infested canes is the best remedy for home gardeners.
sourced from:

www.fruit.cornell.edu/mfruit/elderberries.html

Tea Tree

Camillia species originated primarily in Japan and China.Apparently, growing this species of camellia from seed is verydifficult. Cloning from an established bush is recommended.?All species of camellia originated in Asia; mostly in Japan andChina. Camellia species are still found there in the wild today.

Young plants are raised from cuttings obtained from a mother bush andthey are carefully rooted and cared for in special nurseries untilthey are 1 to 2 years of age. The mother bush is carefully selectedfor propagation based on individual properties and yield. The teaplants can then be transplanted out in the tea fields. This process is known as cloning. Tea can also be grown from seed, however, due tothe degree of difficulty, cloning is the most widely used method ofcultivating tea. Tea bushes are planted from three to four feet apartand planted in rows which follow the natural contour of the landscape.Tea is also grown on specially prepared terraces to help irrigationand to prevent soil erosion.

Consider a greenhouse if you don?t live in a correct weather zone:?The tea shrub is hardy to Zone 8 (The country is broken up into'zones' with similar temperature and weather patterns. Zone 8 ismid-west to southern USA). If you don't live in these areas, don'tfret. You could try growing Camellia sinensis in a greenhouse, or in apot that you can bring indoors during cold winters.??For planting, Camellia sinensis likes well-drained and sandy soilthat is on the acidic side. If you are going to grow your tea in acontainer, add some sphagnum moss to the potting mix. You'll need somepatience, too. Your plant should be around 3 years old before youstart harvesting leaves.

Plant seeds immediately in a jar three-quarters full of moistvermiculite. Cover jar with lid or saran (with rubber band). Place jarin warm (not hot) place, and check periodically for roots along sidesor in bottom of jar. Remove sprouted seedlings and plant in pots.Return unsprouted seeds to jar, replace top, and watch for more roots.Seeds will not all sprout at the same time.

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Marigold

Annual, Tagetas Ercta, Tagetas Patula
Marigold plants are a very prolific, easy to grow annual flower. Kids love 'em and adults love 'em. Marigold flowers are available in a variety of colors, including white, yellow, orange, red and mixed colors. Marigold Flowers will bloom from mid-summer all the way until frost. They can be used for indoor arrangements, but give off a pungent odor that is sometimes too strong indoors.
Did you Know? Marigolds are considered companion plants that keep insects away. Many gardeners grow them amidst their vegetable crops.

Propagation:
Marigolds are grown from seeds. They like full to partial sun. Marigold seeds can be directly sowed into your flower garden, or seeded indoors for transplanting later. We recommend planting Marigolds in pots and containers indoors, then transplanting them outdoors. This allows you to make the proper spacing without the need for thinning seedlings.
Sow Marigold seeds early in the season and cover lightly with soil. Water thoroughly once. They germinate easily and will grow quickly, producing their first of a continual display of blooms by mid-summer.
Transplant Marigold plants into your garden after the last frost date for your area. Spacing depends upon size with miniature varieties spaced four to six inches apart, and Giant varieties one to two feet apart.
How to Grow Marigold Flowers:
Marigold plants like rich, well drained soil, but are very tolerant of average to slightly poor soils. Improving your soil quality will produce much healthier plants and flowers, so add plenty of compost. Add a general purpose fertilizer once a month.
Once your Marigolds are established, they should grow well, even if left unattended. Soil should be moist, but not wet. Water them during dry periods, once or twice per week.
Add mulch around the plants for appearance and to keep weeds down.
Around mid-summer, your plants will begin to produce flowers and will continue to do so up to the first frost. You do not need remove dead flower blooms, except for appearance.
Marigolds are annuals and susceptible to frost. They may survive the first light frost with only a little damage. They will not survive a hard frost or freeze.
Insect and Disease:
Insects largely avoid Marigolds. Insects do not like it's pungent odor. This is why Marigolds make good companion plants. You can even make an insect repellent spray from these plants.

While insects avoid Marigolds, slugs can do major damage. Slugs like to slither up the stem and chew on the leaves. They can destroy an entire flower garden of Marigolds. They can be seen on the plants overnight, in wet weather and early morning. If an infestation occurs, treat quickly to avoid major damage.

soursed from:

http://www.gardenersnet.com/flower/marigold.htm

Almond

An almond is a nutritious nut grown inside the fruit of an almond tree. The almond tree has the same classification as a peach tree. It is natively grown in Southwest Asia. An almond tree grows from 13 feet up to 30 feet tall. Growing your almond tree is fairly easy but requires two to three years to reach maturity. Read on to learn how to grow almonds.

Step1

Pick an area for the almond tree that receives full sunlight. The soil around the almond tree needs to be rich with nutrients.

Step2

Dig a hole for the tree that is large enough to bury the roots of the tree as well as any soil surrounding the roots from the tree's container.

Step3

Remove the tree from the container. Be careful not to harm any roots. Spread the roots out in the hole that you have dug. Fill in the hole around the tree.

Step4

Place plenty of compost or fertilizer over the tree roots and water thoroughly. Add more soil around the roots if needed.

Step5

Stick a small pipe or piece of wood into the ground to brace the tree. The almond tree grows quickly in the first year, but the trunk will not hold up to strong winds. Tie the almond tree to a pole or piece of wood.

Step6

Fertilize the tree with compost or fruit tree fertilizer. This is a good way to spike the growth of a new tree.

Step7

Maintain the almond tree by pruning the branchesevery year. This is best done in late winter or early spring before the new growth appears. When pruning, cut off dead and unhealthy branches first and then thin out areas where growth is bushy. Prune the bushy areas to allow sunlight and air to penetrate the tree, helping the overall growth of the tree.

Step8

Harvest the tree. The almond tree produces a small fruit during it's blooming season. When the fruit dies, it splits to reveal the pit, which is the almond. This is the ideal time to harvest the tree.

sourced from:

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German Chamomile

German Chamomile
An erect annual (Matricaria recutita), with small, daisylike flowers, is used to make chamomile tea and posessing a number of medicinal qualities.German Chamomile seeds are one of the few seeds that need light to germinate, so starting them by seed is a delicate process. It is best planted outdoors in August by broadcasting the seed and mixing very lightly with the soil. Alternatively, they can be started indoors in propagation flats in March and transplanted outdoors after a hardening off period. In most cases, direct planting in the garden after all chance of frost has passed are successful, as well. Once they are firmly established, German Chamomile is extremely hardy.Chamomile tea can be sprayed on propagation flats to prevent damping off. It is also believed to increase the absorption of calcium when added to a compost pile.

Growing German ChamomileGrowing CulturesOutdoors, containers, landscaping, mass plantings. German chamomile not recommended for containers.Plant HeightChamomile grows to a height of 20 to 30 inches (50 - 70cm).

Plant SpacingChamomile plants should be spaced 6 inches (15 cm) apart.Preferred pH RangeChamomile will grow in a relatively wide pH range between 5.6 (acidic) and 7.5 (neutral).

PropagationFrom seed. Direct sow in spring or fall. Fall sown seeds germinate following spring. Seeds need light to germinate.Seed Germination Period7 to 14 days.Seeds Per Gram (Approximate)10,000 to 18.000.Soil RequirementsWell drained, poor to average soil.

Alternative Growing MediaSoilless potting mixes, perlite, vermiculite, rockwool, coco peat, Oasis foam.Time From Seed to Saleable PlantSeeds to finished plugs, 6 weeks; plugs to saleable plants, 6 to 6 weeks.Sun & Lighting RequirementsChamomile grown outdoors prefers full sun but will tolerate some shade.Chives will grow indoors satisfactorily under standard fluorescent lamps, and exceptionally well under high output fluorescent , compact fluorescent, or high intensity discharge (metal halide or high pressure sodium) plant growing lights.

Keep standard fluorescent lamps between 2 and 4 inches from the tops of the plants, high output and compact fluorescents approximately one foot above the plants, and HID lights between 2 and 4 feet above the plants, depending on wattage. Have an oscillating fan gently stir seedlings for at least 2 hours per day to stimulate shorter, sturdier, and more natural plant habit.USDA HardinessAnnual.

Water RequirementsWater on a regular schedule, taking care to not overwater.Potential Pests & DiseasesAphids, mealybug. Minimal disease issues.Special NotesChamomile may be considered a noxious weed or invasive plant in some areas. Chamomile is known to attract bees, butterflies or birds and has fragrant blossoms. Chamomile self-sows freely; remove flowers (deadhead) if you do not want volunteer seedlings the following season.

soursed from:

http://herbgardening.com/growingchamomile.htm